According to two government officials, Indian authorities had launched an investigation into allegations that a local pharmaceutical regulator helped switch samples of cough syrups linked to the deaths of children in Gambia before the samples were tested at an Indian laboratory in exchange for a bribe.

A lawyer named Mr. Yashpal accused the states drug controller, Mr. Manmohan Taneja, of taking a bribe of 50 million rupees ($605,419) from local manufacturer Maiden Pharmaceuticals to help it switch the samples before an Indian government laboratory tested them in a letter to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Haryana state.

Mr. Shatrujeet Kapur, Director General of the Haryana Anti-Corruption Bureau, stated that the complaint filed by Mr. Yashpal would be taken forward by the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) for Health in Haryana.

Meanwhile, the Additional Chief Secretary, Mrs. G Anupama, noted, "Enquiry is underway." She revealed that any further information would be announced by Mr. Anil Vij, health minister for Haryana state. Mr. Yashpal has also sent a letter to the chief minister and health minister, who have yet to respond to his complaints. 

The syrups produced by Maiden Pharma were tested by Indian authorities late last year after the WHO connected them to the deaths of at least 70 children in Africa, most of whom were under five years of age, from acute renal damage between June and October.

Earlier this month, Gambia stated that they had hired a US law firm to explore legal action after its government-backed investigation found contaminated medicines from India were "very likely" to have caused the deaths of children last year.

(Source:https://www.tbsnews.net/world/india-probes-bribery-claim-toxic-syrup-tests-649394 )